At last, after months of “coming soon” this is the column you’ve all been waiting for. Of all the “coming soon” columns listed on my author info page, this one has been by far the most commented on via reader emails. So you know with all that anticipation going for it, it’s almost sure to suck. But keep reading anyway!

Do people notice the ESRB ratings that are found on video games? Better yet, do people even know what the ratings mean? Does the rating influence a decision to purchase the product? Do people automatically assume that the ratings are protecting the buyer’s best interest? How much of an influence does game violence have on the real-life development of any human?

Do people notice the ESRB ratings that are found on video games? Better yet, do people even know what the ratings mean? Does the rating influence a decision to purchase the product? Do people automatically assume that the ratings are protecting the buyer’s best interest? How much of an influence does game violence have on the real-life development of any human?

People like to watch games. People like to watch games so much that other people are paid millions of dollars to play those games. Good players and good teams become household words, forever enshrined on the front pages of our newspapers. Around these people has grown a multimillion dollar industry of endorsements and hero worship. So far, though, the only games that qualify for this illustrious status are live games, those that are often called sports. Fundamentally, sports and some computer games are not all that different. They are both best played by talented people who work hard, and are very fun to watch for a lot of people. How long will it be before we have StarCraft tournament brackets in USA Today?

People like to watch games. People like to watch games so much that other people are paid millions of dollars to play those games. Good players and good teams become household words, forever enshrined on the front pages of our newspapers. Around these people has grown a multimillion dollar industry of endorsements and hero worship. So far, though, the only games that qualify for this illustrious status are live games, those that are often called sports. Fundamentally, sports and some computer games are not all that different. They are both best played by talented people who work hard, and are very fun to watch for a lot of people. How long will it be before we have StarCraft tournament brackets in USA Today?

Last week’s column was all about the ways Diablo I was better than Diablo II. This week returns the favor by listing the ways Diablo II is better than Diablo I. With everything but the kitchen sink thrown in as an Honorable Mention, of course.

If I asked each person in my office building how they came into work this morning I would get dozens of answers. The answers would be subjective to starting location and what roads or highways are the most convenient for them to travel. Thus, the only important aspect would be the final results; we all arrived at the same relative location and each of us had a different view of the world during our commute.

If I asked each person in my office building how they came into work this morning I would get dozens of answers. The answers would be subjective to starting location and what roads or highways are the most convenient for them to travel. Thus, the only important aspect would be the final results; we all arrived at the same relative location and each of us had a different view of the world during our commute.